Blog
Certification, education, advocacy, events, industry news and the members behind them — written by the Federation, for the people who make, age, sell and buy the cheese.
Member spotlight: the renewal he almost let lapse
One of our members let his renewal notice sit unopened this spring until his membership slid into the grace window. We asked what actually got him to act.
Read postOne week out from Des Moines
The ICF Annual Conference opens in Des Moines in one week. Here is the logistics rundown for first-time attendees and the veterans who still forget a charger.
Read postPacking for a hot Des Moines
Two weeks out from the Annual Conference, the forecast for Des Moines is running hotter than usual, and it changes a few things about what to pack and…
Read postWhy the affinage credential filled up this summer
Enrollment in the Advanced Affinage Certificate has climbed all summer, and the record heat settling over much of the country this month is a big part of why.
Read postThe margin number that finally moved
The federal farm-milk margin over feed costs has now cleared the top coverage tier for five straight months, and members are finally letting themselves plan around it.
Read postAn exemption worth reading closely before you assume it covers you
A federal proposal would exempt certain cheese categories from added traceability recordkeeping. We're asking members to check which side of the line their product falls on before they…
Read postThirteen years in, with a different owner upstairs
Bob Kowalski has been a federation member for thirteen years. His employer was acquired last year. We asked what changes for a longtime member when the name on…
Read postBecoming the person behind the judging table
Competition Judge Accreditation is the credential members ask about most as conference nears. Here's what the pathway actually covers and why it takes longer than a weekend.
Read postWhat a month out from conference should look like on your calendar
The Annual Conference is four weeks out. A look at what still needs booking, what's already full, and the sessions worth building your schedule around.
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